Indonesia's Wings Air to become the largest ATR operator with 60 aircraft

Source: EADS

16/02/2012

Indonesia's fast growing carrier Lion Air and the European regional turboprop manufacturer ATR today signed a contract for the purchase of 27 additional ATR 72-600 aircraft. Once these aircraft will be integrated into the fleet of Lion Air's regional subsidiary Wings Air, it will become the largest operator of ATR aircraft in the world, with a total fleet of 60 aircraft (20 ATR 72-500s and 40 ATR 72-600s). Wings Air introduced its first ATRs in January 2010 and currently operates a fleet of 16 ATR 72-500s across its domestic network in Indonesia. The airline plans to receive its 60th ATR 72 by the end of 2015. Today's signature for these 27 additional ATR 72-600s, valued at some US$ 610 million, took place at the Singapore Airshow.

Since early 2010, Wings Air is significantly contributing to the development of regional air connectivity across Indonesia, using its ATR 72s to create new routes from main and regional airports, adding frequencies into most popular routes and feeding Lion Air's B-737-900ERs operations at its hubs in Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Medan, Batam, Makasar, Ambon and Menado. The fleet of ATR 72s of Wings Air is also developing and enhancing air services into some remote areas of the country.

These next 44 ATR 72-500/600s to be delivered to Wings Air will continue to develop new routes departing mainly from Sumatera, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua islands. Some of these aircraft will also replace and complement Wings Air's MD-80s and Lion Air's B-737s operating from these airports, thus adding new frequencies into the network.

Commenting on the signature, Pak Rusdi Kirana, Chairman of Wings Air and President of Lion Air, declared: “Our fleet of ATR 72s is playing a major role in the development and democratization of the aviation services in Indonesia, bringing new travel possibilities, at low rates, to an increasing part of the population. With the ATRs, Wings Air is also contributing to develop business opportunities across the country and to develop tourism in regions like Java, Bali and Nusantagara. The ATR aircraft are perfectly adapted to the Indonesian short-haul market and allows Wings Air to connect communities, even those located in remote areas. They are also contributing to the preservation of the environment thanks to their very low CO2 emissions rate”.

Filippo Bagnato, Chief Executive Officer of ATR, said: “We congratulate Wings Air for becoming the largest ATR operator worldwide, only three years after having signed the first contract. We are pleased to be associated with the success of Wings Air and Lion Air in Indonesia, our most rapidly growing partner in South-East Asia. Wings Air will be introducing the new ATR -600 series aircraft in the region, thus providing its passengers with the most technologically advanced and comfortable cabin among regional aircraft”.

The Asia-Pacific region has represented more than 40% of the total sales of ATR since 2005. Today, there are some 250 ATR aircraft operating for Asia-Pacific carriers, plus some other 80 aircraft on backlog.